Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Vaithini Vijayakumar
95 Kirkvalley Cres.
Aurora, ON L4G 7P9

Queen's University Faculty of Arts and Science
Dunning Hall
94 University Ave.
Kingston, ON K7L 3N9


Dear Associate Deans;

I am writing this letter as I am requesting to finish my courses from the 2017-2018 academic year. These courses are BIOL 303, BIOL 403, BIOL 508, BMED 471, BIOL 330.

In April of 2018, I was asked to withdraw from the university for a year. On March 20, 2018, I also lost my grandpa who passed away which added to an already unhealthy state of mental health that I was in, due to this investigation of academic probation. I have attached an official death certificate that shows my grandfather¿¿s passing in March 2018. I do not have much physical documentation to show my unwell being. But the one year requirement to withdraw is evident on my past history and this timeline and I have been speaking to support staff at the school via email regarding this mental health state that I would be able to show the school to support my unwell state of mental health during this period of time.

I have been battling suicidal thoughts, depression, an eating disorder and financial stress since this decision from the school. I cannot go into great detail about the specific incidents through April 2018 to the present but it has taken a great deal of courage for me to reach out and come to the decision to complete my degree now. I have been speaking to a few people such as Haley Everson (Associate Director, Student Services), Lindsay Winger (Assistant Dean Support Services and Community Engagement) and Jennifer Dods (Executive Director, Student Wellness Services) to help me through these difficult 18 months.

According to my academic counsellor, I still have 33 credits remaining, besides these failed courses, in order to finish my degree. I would really appreciate being given the chance to reconsider the failure grade for these courses and being given the chance to do the final exam/assignments for these courses. It would help relieve some anxiety. I did speak to my instructors for these courses in May 2018 and they gave me extensions for the final exams. My BIOL 403 instructor said that I could even be given an exemption from my final lab practical as my previous work had a high enough grade where he could lessen the weight of the final lab exam as he understood that I had lost my grandfather during the final week of the semester when the final lab exams were scheduled. I was unable to follow up with my instructors after moving home in May 2018 with my parents and having my phone and all electronics being taken away from my possession as they were aware that I was unable to return to school for a year. After being able to financially get a phone on my own, I was mentally unwell and a difficult time reaching out to the school. Now that I have spoken with an academic counsellor, I have some hope that the school will help me with my difficult situation.

This decision from the school to reconsider the F grade for the courses and being given the chance to write the final exam/assignment would mean a great deal to me. It took me a long time to reach out to the school and now that I am feeling a little better, mentally, I think this is the time to finish my degree and I would really appreciate the school¿¿s support.
I would be more than happy to email my instructors and discuss with them what I need to do to change my F grade for the courses but I understand that I need to go through this appeal process to have this grade changed and have the chance to write a deferred assignment/exam.

I appreciate your time and help with this situation and appeal.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Vaithini Vijayakumar, 10045618